The Choice
by beachglass5387
Summary: Katherine and Elena have a conversation about the Salvatore brothers. They may even more in common soon...


Elena clutches her phone in her left hand as she watches Katherine stalk around her bedroom. The vampire is moving slowly toward her and Elena is desperate to stop her. She tries to stay still as her mind races frantically. "Why Stefan?" Elena hears herself ask. She does not know what she hopes to accomplish with the question.

Katherine's grin is the most predatory that Elena has ever seen it. "You're honestly curious," Katherine says; it is not a question and Elena can practically hear the smirk in her voice.

Elena doesn't respond and Katherine moves closer, circling Elena. "We're lovely, you and I," she says. "When I was your age, I thought that being beautiful meant that I would have choices. But you…." Katherine stops in front of Elena and stares at her. "You already know that you don't have many choices. What you don't know is that, most of the time, we don't even realize when we make the choices that we do have. We open our mouths and give our options away and never realize until they are all gone."

"What do you really want to say to me, Katherine?" Elena asks, her voice as calm as she can make it.

"Do you know what drew both of us to the Salvatore brothers? It was the illusion of choice; the idea that both are worth having and both could be in love with you and you could have whichever one you prefer."

"You're wrong about me," Elena says immediately.

"Oh," Katherine says smiling and reaching out to run her hand down the side of Elena's face. "Maybe. I defer to your seventeen years of wisdom. Anyway, no matter. You just told me that the choosing is all over."

Elena tries to keep her face still. "So brave! So proud!" Katherine flirts. "You won't stoop to asking me for clarifications. Don't worry, Elena, I'm old enough to be benevolent. I'll tell you the truth even though no one else will…Even though you won't ask." Katherine reaches out and tucks Elena's hair behind her ear. It is a mockery of a maternal gesture. "Why Stefan? What you really mean is 'why not Damon?'"

Elena opens her mouth and Katherine presses a silencing finger to Elena's lips. "Now, my question is, why would Stefan's loyal girlfriend ever need to ask why someone would choose him over his brother? But, to be polite, I'll answer your question first. Why not Damon? He's certainly as handsome and as smart. Brave and rash and charming. Dangerous, but not unreachable. Unpredictable, but loyal. He's accepting and funny and, if someone would let him be, probably even loving." Katherine is circling Elena again, her voice quiet and raspy. "But you already know all of that. He's different than he was when I first met him. Sweet, trusting Damon Salvatore – I admit that I did not predict he would make such a good vampire. Now, Stefan I thought would make and exemplary vampire. He hasn't changed much since I first met him. Not really. But, never mind. You wanted to talk about Damon, not Stefan, and even I can't always be a bitch."

Elena's nostrils flare, but she doesn't say anything.

"Of course, Damon has as many flaws as charms but he is…compelling. So why Stefan?" Katherine draws close to whisper in Elena's ear, "because he's the one who really is in love with me." Katherine pulls away and for a moment her face is unreadable. Elena shudders and feels her face collapse slightly. Katherine arches an eyebrow and cocks her head. "So, Elena….Why Damon?" They stare at each other until Katherine turns and begins to walk slowly away. She turns and asks over her shoulder, "is it because he's the one who is in love with you?"

"You're wrong about me," Elena says again, her face contorting into a snarl.

Katherine smiles sweetly. "Even so, I'm right about him," she says. Then she is gone.

Elena does not ask if Katherine means Stefan or Damon. She slides down to the floor and stares at the phone in her hand. Before she can decide who to call, the phone rings. They have already chosen for her. She feels a rush of relief as she answers.

"She was just here," she says.


End file.
